Reutimann Wins At Chicagoland Speedway

David Reutimann celebrates his victory at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday night. (Photo courtesy of NASCAR)

RacinToday.com

David Reutimann passed Jeff Gordon for the lead with about 50 laps to go and went on to win the LifeLock.com 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday night.

The victory was the second of the Michael Waltrip Racing driver’s career – the first was a rain-shortened job at Charlotte last season.

“I don’t know what to say, really,” a tearful crew chief Rodney Childress said. “Really wanted this for David. He really wanted to win one on his own” and not with the aid of rain.

“No rain tonight. We earned this one,” Reutimann said. “I heard so much stuff for winning a rain-shortened event. We earned it. You think about these moments all your life.”

Reutimann started the race from the seventh position.

Carl Edwards staged an impressive charge over the final 25 laps and finished second. It was the second top-five finish of the season for the Roush Fenway Racing driver.

“We just needed a couple more laps” to catch Reutimann, Edwards said. “It was a good points night for us.”

Gordon was third and Clint Bowyer was fourth.

“We’re trying some different things,” Gordon said.

Polesitter Jamie McMurray finished fifth.

“Good to see David Reutimann win. He’s a deserving driver,” McMurray said.

Points leader Kevin Harvick had big problems. His car appeared to develop fuel pickup problems and that sent him to the garages. Despite his lousy finish – 34th – Harvick retained the points lead.

Gordon moved to second in points and trails Harvick by 103.

Jimmie Johnson led the first 92 laps of the race but had problems in the pits and dropped several off the lead lap. He finished 25th and dropped from second to third in points.

Bowyer moved into the top 12 with his finish while Dale Earnhardt Jr. dropped to 13th.

The scary moment of the night came when Bill Elliott blew a tire in his Wood Brothers Racing car and spun. He was then t-boned by Robby Gordon who could not get slowed down in time.

“I cut a tire and from there I was just along for the ride,” Elliott said. “I feel bad for the guys. We have worked hard but we have missed something, whether it is the spoiler or whatever, we just can’t get where we need to be. We are just okay out there. Everybody is really working hard and trying to help us out, then something like this happens and it is just really unfortunate.”